A Survey of Music Education in the Primary Schools of South Africa's Cape Peninsula

Abstract

We investigated the state of music education in government primary schools in the Cape Peninsula (Western Cape Province, South Africa) as perceived by the general class teacher. Since the first democratic elections in South Africa (1994), the entire primary and secondary school education system has changed drastically in terms of content, and general class teachers (not music specialist teachers) are now responsible for music education within the Arts and Culture learning area. We aimed to identify and analyze problems that these teachers experience in implementing the music component of the revised curriculum. A structured questionnaire was sent to all primary schools in the Cape Peninsula; the response rate was 51.7%. Findings are discussed and interpreted against the historical background of education in South Africa and relevant music philosophical perspectives. January 27, 2005 September 12, 2005